The Canterbury Essay -- Canterbury Tales Literature Essays

The CanterburyThe Canterbury recitals begins with the introduction of each of the pilgrims making their journey to Canterbury to the shrine of Thomas a Becket. These pilgrims include a Knight, his son the Squire, the Knights Yeoman, a Prioress, a Second Nun, a Monk, a Friar, a Merchant, a Clerk, a Man of Law, a Franklin, a Weaver, a Dyer, a Carpenter, a Tapestry-Maker, a Haberdasher, a Cook, a Shipman, a Physician, a Parson, a Miller, a Manciple, a Reeve, a Summoner, a Pardoner, the Wife of Bath, and Chaucer himself. These travelers, who stop at the Tabard Inn, decide to tell stories to pass their time on the way to Canterbury. The Host of the Tabard Inn sets the rules for the tales. Each of the pilgrims will tell deuce stories on the way to Canterbury, and two stories on the return trip. The Host will decide the best of the tales. They decide to draw lots to see who will tell the first tale, and the Knight receives the honor. The Knights Tale is a tale about two knights, Arcite and Palamon, who are captured in battle and detain in Athens under the order of King Theseus. While imprisoned in a tower, both see Emelye, the sister of Queen Hippolyta, and fall instantly in love with her. Both knights eventually leave prison one at a time a friend of Arcite begs Theseus to release him, while Palamon later escapes. Arcite returns to the Athenian court disguised as a servant, and when Palamon escapes he suddenly finds Arcite. They fight over Emelye, simply when their fight is stopped when Theseus finds them. Theseus sets the rules for a duel between the two knights for Emelyes affection, and each raise an army for a battle a year from that date. Before the battle, Arcite prays to vitiate for victory in battle, Emelye prays to Diana that ... ...ld speak the language of humans and could sing beautiful. When the white crow learns that Phoebus wife was unfaithful, Phoebus plucks him and curses the crow. According to the Manciple, this explains why crows are black an d can only sing in an unpleasant tone. The Parson tells the final tale. The Parsons Tale is not a narrative tale at all, however, but rather an extended treatment on the nature of sin and the three parts necessary for forgiveness contrition, confession, and satisfaction. The tale gives examples of the seven deadly sins and explains them, and also details what is necessary for redemption. Chaucer ends the tales with a retraction, inquire those who were offended by the tales to blame his rough manner and lack of education, for his intentions were not immoral, while asking those who found something redeemable in the tales to give credit to Christ.